


Please insert a coin.

by Brin_brin



Category: Digimon - All Media Types, Digimon Adventure, Digimon Adventure tri.
Genre: Inspired by Doujinshi, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:02:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23592772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brin_brin/pseuds/Brin_brin
Summary: This isn't what Taichi expected when he decided to confess, but it's not like he was going to say no.Based on a doujinshi of the same name by Nobita Nobi.
Relationships: Ishida Yamato | Matt Ishida & Yagami Taichi | Tai Kamiya, Ishida Yamato | Matt Ishida/Yagami Taichi | Tai Kamiya
Comments: 4
Kudos: 47





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> PSA: it saucy, you been warned. Also largely unedited because I wrote it on my phone and I'm a lazy shit.

“Money.”

It wasn’t a question, but it didn’t sound much like a command either. Just a statement, as Taichi looked down at his friend’s open and outstretched hand.

The pair had been sitting on Yamato’s bed as they often did when spending time together, and in the spirit of their recent high school graduation, Taichi had confessed his feelings to his closest friend just moments ago. 

It hadn't been a particularly delicate announcement. Taichi had his eyes squeezed tightly shut, and blurted out his confession without context, deciding to give it some context in the form of babbling afterwards about wanting to give dating a try, maybe fooling around a bit.  _ God, how awkward and embarrassing _ . He hadn’t noticed himself slowly leaning forward onto his hands, all but trapping the target of his aggressive announcement between himself and the bed frame. 

When the boy finally calmed enough to peak through his bangs, he was greeted by an unreadable and calm Yamato holding out his hand to accept payment.

Although in his head Taichi had run through his confession multiple times, he found himself faced with a truly unexpected reaction. What exactly he was supposed to do with this statement sent his mind into overdrive.

“Did you… Did you hear what I said? I mean, are you.. Ok with it?” 

Taichi swallowed thickly as Yamato lowered his outstretched hand and let out a long breath through his nose.

“Yeah, and in exchange I get paid. If you give me some money, you can do what you like. With me, that is." 

Taichi did his best to keep his expression still while his mind struggled with Yamato's suggestion. Yamato was pragmatic, but this seemed to take it to a new extreme.

Was he having money troubles? 

Maybe it’s a joke? Or code for something? 

Taichi didn’t have much, if any, experience in the relationship department. So naturally, something about paying for it made him uncomfortable. And yet he hadn't been met with outward rejection here, and that had to count for something, regardless of the game Yamato was playing.

"If you're not going to try anything then get off me." 

It was then that Taichi noticed the stiffness of his arms and the weight he'd been pushing into his hands. In a slight panic he moved backwards, wiping his sweaty and shaking palms on his jacket. Yamato sat up and ran a hand through his hair, sighing and looking off to the side at nothing in particular. A pit of desperation formed in Taichi's chest as he felt the moment, and the offer, slipping away from him.

"H-how much??" 

Taichi fumbled for his wallet, the whole thing feeling extremely unnatural. 

"Let's go… 500 yen."

_ So cheap _ . 

How Yamato gave the price suggested he hadn't really thought about it before just now. In an odd way Taichi found it reassuring that this was uncharted territory for the other boy too. Taichi plucked a coin from his wallet and dropped it into the again outstretched hand, following it as it was tucked into Yamato's left pocket.

On the return motion, Yamato's hand grabbed at the bottom of his shirt and slid it over his head with almost practiced grace. Taichi felt blood rush to his face and felt faint from the pressure it put on his ears. 

"Wha-wait, what?" 

Too absorbed in cryptic blue eyes, Taichi didn't much notice Yamsto's hands advancing their state of undress. 

"You want this don't you?"

Yamato jeered with a slight smirk, holding Taichi's face with one hand and pushing his jacket off his shoulders with the other. 

"Of course! But…"

Eloquence was never the soccer fan's strong suit and he couldn't finish his thought. Was this moving too fast? He couldn't be sure. There were a lot of firsts coming at him all at once and he didn't know what to think. Not that it mattered, since thinking became near impossible once he felt those soft lips pressed against his own. Any of the awkwardness or apprehension at the oddness of the situation seemed to melt into hunger for more of his friend. Which after a brief moment, he grabbed figuratively and literally with both hands.

Various buttons and zippers had already been covertly undone by a certain musician's wandering hand, making it easy for Taichi to finish exposing the young man beneath him. Considering their unique exchange, Taichi hadn't quite expected the physical reaction from Yamato that he received. He felt Yamato's hands trace his hip bones and tug at his waistband, prompting him to wriggle from his corduroy confines. Those soft lips traced Taichi's jaw line, leaving a trail of warmth in their wake. He flushed deeply and let out a sigh at the sensation of Yamato pecking near his ear, feeling the blonde's erection pressed against his thigh. 

Taichi sought to capture Yamato's mouth again and pull himself impossibly close to porcelain skin, feeling his own excitement rub between them before pinning the other beneath him. Taichi ran a hand down Yamato's chest and smiled into their heated kiss at the slight reaction he noticed when his thumb intentionally rolled over the pink of Yamato's nipple. As his hand ventured further down he was mildly surprised by how different, yet comfortable it felt to hold a different length in his hand. While an overall similar size to his own, Taichi read the differences in shape as he ran his hand up and down, applying pressure to the sensitive parts. 

Yamato's hand followed a similar path, tracing a line from Taichi's back, around his hip to his nether regions where he massaged for a moment before taking Taichi in his hand. 

The pair had to pull their lips from each other, both giving a breathy sigh, their lips still brushing lightly as they indulged in each other's touch. 

"Can I, uh…" 

Taichi mumbled against Yamato's lips as he allowed his hand to drift further towards the sheets. He pressed the edge of the muscle that lay between Yamato's thighs and enjoyed the faint rumble that came from the boy's throat. 

"Do you have anything?" 

It took Taichi a few seconds to register what Yamato meant exactly. Once he realized, he awkwardly mumbled some affirmation while reaching for the wallet he'd since pushed to the side. An extremely optimistic version of his past self had tucked away a sample sachet of lubricant he'd once pocketed from a drug store. After giving a silent thanks to this uncharacteristic bout of foresight, Taichi tore open the packet, slightly unsure of what to do next with the slick gel in his hand.

Following no instincts in particular, he distracted Yamato with another deep kiss while he ran the liquid down himself and along his fingers. Nervous at first, he lightly, then firmly pressed a finger inside Yamato, holding his breath to gauge any response. The light moan he heard only encouraged him to push deeper, curling his finger slightly to discover which parts elicited noise. Taichi dared to insert another finger and didn't mind when Yamato broke their kiss with a sudden intake of breath. 

"J-just… do it, Taichi." 

Although he wasn't usually so complacent to orders, Taichi was excited by the invite. He removed his fingers and lowered himself to press against the boy below him. At first there was tension, but then all at once he felt encompassed by Yamato's tightness. 

"Are you… is this ok?"

Taichi felt the need to ask as Yamato tensed against the pressure. 

"Y-yes, just. Just move!" 

Yamato pushed himself upward, causing Taichi to collapse forward again. With Yamato's member in one hand and his weight pressed into the other, Taichi continued to move his hips forward and backwards, picking up his pace in rhythm with the pumps of his hand. He noticed that the blonde's blue eyes were narrowed and seemingly clouded by pleasure, it was an expression he wished he could frame. 

Taichi heard a hitch in Yamato's breathing, fingertips reaching up to claw at the small of Taichi's back. Soon after semen spilled onto the pale stomach beneath him. He hadn't expected Yamato to finish before him, but the sheer thought of satisfying his partner brought him to the edge in a matter of moments after. Taichi held his breath during the sweet release before collapsing into Yamato's chest, undisturbed by the thick fluid that oozed between them. 

For a few breaths Taichi just enjoyed resting on Yamato's chest, smiling at the feeling of the elevated heart rate against his cheek. 

"Are you done?" 

Taichi was pulled from his afterglow, blinking a few times before pushing himself up to look down into now clear and unreadable blue eyes. 

"Uh, y-yeah, I guess." 

"Can you get off then? I really need a shower."

Taichi obliged and nervously pulled away, slightly confused by the sudden mood change. His eyes followed Yamato across the room where he wiped down his stomach with a discarded t-shirt, before turning his eyes back to the abstract art of fluids on the sheets. There was a spot, just between Taichi's legs, that was a different colour. Like a pink, or red-brown? Taichi stared at it, turning his head slightly in case a different perspective helped.

"Shit, is this blood?"

"I dunno, probably."

Taichi stared wide eyed at Yamato's back, who casually pulled on some boxers and seemed to start picking through his wardrobe for a change of clothes to take to the shower.

"Did I like, break your hymen or something?"

"I'm not a fucking girl Taichi, Christ!" 

Yamato whirled around, a clean shirt balled in his fist to glare at the boy whose hair was clearly bigger than his brain. Taichi merely blinked back at him, unsure if the pink that lined Yamato's face was residual from earlier, or perhaps something else. It wasn't unusual for Taichi's stupidity to get a rise out of his friend, but it didn't usually fluster him like this. Yamato turned to his bedroom door with a groan.

"But, it was my first time, so..."

On that note, Yamato left Taichi alone in the room. He didn't immediately register what Yamato had said. As he heard the water pipes in the apartment groan, his eyes cast downwards and he couldn't help but feel that things were bitter sweet. 

_ For 500 yen? _


	2. Chapter 2

The early spring days between academic sessions were often a time where it was easy to forget what day it was. There were few cares, or scheduled activities. In particular, when transitioning from high school to university, there was little one could do but wait and take advantage of the peaceful weeks of freedom after a stressful year. Not that Taichi stressed about academics or anything. 

"It's been ten minutes, you should be able to send me more stamina."

Yamato just grunted in response, not pulling his eyes from his phone. The two boys were taking advantage of having time to waste by playing a mobile puzzle game. Many unproductive hours were spent sitting side by side on the floor of Yamato's room, not even playing the game together, but rather simultaneously. 

"Fuck, I lost again. I swear this game is pay to win." 

Perhaps for the first time in an hour Yamato dropped his phone to the ground and leaned his head back against the side of the bed behind him. Taichi followed a similar path, suddenly realising how dry his eyes had become. 

"Tell me about it. Once school starts I'm getting a job just so I can fund my addiction to this dumb game."

"Me too I think." 

The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable, but both knew that the impending university semester was an uncomfortable subject. The inseparable pair would be attending different universities. While both would still be in the Tokyo area, it nonetheless marked the end of seeing each other almost daily. 

"I'm good for now though I think. Mum and Dad gave me 5000 yen as a graduation present."

"Lucky. All Dad gave me was a pat on the back." 

Taichi gave a small laugh, and lowered his eyelids to give them a rest from staring at a phone screen. The ordinary conversation brought his mind back to another subject that hadn't been broached. He had to open his eyes as memories of Yamato’s glazed expression flitered behind his eyelids. Taichi bit the inside of his lip and felt his heart rate increase, wondering if he should bring it up. The more casually he could do it the better.

"So I guess you do need money, that explains it a little. The other day, I mean..."

He clarified when he noticed Yamato looking at him sideways with mild confusion. Yamato became suddenly preoccupied with a loose thread at the bottom of his shirt and let out a long breath that sounded like air being let out of a tyre, seeming to think over his response.

“Might have been part of it, I guess.” 

Yamato shrugged, keeping his attention on the cotton thread while Taichi considered his profile. 

“If not that, then what?”

Taichi started to get an uncomfortable feeling in his stomach as he prepared for Yamato to ask him to pretend it never happened, or something worse. Of course, this had started with Taichi confessing his feelings for his best friend. He’d considered that Yamato might want to end their friendship over it, and if that was the case he figured he’d be better off if he heard it straight.

“Why? Did you want to do it again?” 

Taichi coughed and awkwardly looked down as those vague, yet intense blue eyes suddenly decided to make contact with his. Yamato was an expert at always managing to take control of a situation. And here Taichi thought he was going to get a straight answer for once. 

“Of course I do, I told you how I felt about you, what I’m trying to understand is how you feel about me!”

Taichi turned himself fully towards the other, doing his best to convey the seriousness of his feelings through his voice, his eyes, body language, every fibre of his soul. He could feel Yamato regarding him slowly, eventually holding out his open palm.

“Yeah, and I said for 500 yen I can be whatever you want me to be.” 

This matter felt like it was going in circles and Taichi could feel frustration building behind his furrowed brow. He was torn between being angry, and being worried. If he pushed too hard, Yamato might simply push him away. He decided to take his most hopeful and most ambitious route - the one where he continued to play this game in hopes that soon, Yamato may return his feelings. It was immature, and irresponsible, but their last encounter had only made Taichi hungrier for more. Someone else might have refused to engage to save the friendship, but Taichi was stupid enough to get addicted. And so he sighed, pulling a note from his wallet 

"Do you have change for 1000?" 

Yamato leaned over and pulled a pair of discarded pants across the floor to rummage in the pockets. He casually handed over what Taichi thought was originally his 500 yen coin. Taichi gave a small smile and put the coin in his wallet.

"Did you know you're a pay to win game, Yamato?" 

Taichi said in a manner that came out more bitter than he'd intended. 

"I'd say more like a coin laundry." 

Before Taichi could question what that meant, Yamato had straddled him and pulled his mouth up into an eager kiss. It was like a switch had been flipped, and the previously aloof blonde had become ignited with a hunger that rivaled Taichi's own. 

Between being under Yamato's weight and the increasingly tight confines of his jeans, Taichi began to feel like he might collapse. He had to move away from the kiss if only to take a breath to stop his head from spinning. His pulse added to the pressure behind his ears, which Yamato's lips busied themselves with kissing.  _ He's going to leave a mark _ , he thought. 

The tips of Yamato's fingers were slightly rough from years of musical pursuits, but every other inch of the boy was soft. Taichi ran his hands under Yamato's shirt, taking moments to read the details of his body he'd been too distracted to digest the first time. He could feel that Yamato was thinner than him, but not protrudingly so. Taichi traced the boy's hip bones to his waistband, appreciating how even the faint line of hair that lead further down was soft under his wandering touch. 

Yamato lifted himself as Taichi made short work of their top buttons. The release of pressure allowed him to again seek Yamato's lips. Having his eyes closed increased the sensation of those characteristic fingertips against the sensitive skin below his waistband. With his own hands he helped the boy atop of him wriggle from his black skinny jeans and discard them to the other side of the room with the other pair. 

As Taichi pulled the already loose fitting t-shirt over its owner's head, he leaned forward to gently kiss at Yamato's right nipple. He knew that his own were quite sensitive, but honestly didn't know if it was something other people experienced as well. He figured that it was when he felt Yamato's erection twitch against his own in response. He reached between them and took both their lengths in a single hand, stroking both at an idle pace. He felt Yamato sigh into his mess of hair, the first signs of precum making his strokes feel slick. 

His other hand slowly traced up Yamato's pale thighs, circling around to support him from behind. Taichi dug his fingertips into the soft skin, hoping to leave a mark in exchange for the one that was sure to be near his ear. For a few moments all he could hear was their heavy breaths, and the soft sounds of skin against skin made by Yamato rocking against his hand. It was intoxicating, and sent a wave of heat to every extreme in his body, making him forget exactly what reservations he had about their current arrangement. 

"Hold on."

A breathy voice and movement in his peripheral vision pulled Taichi from his trance. Without looking or pulling himself away, he could see Yamato's arm reach out and fail to grab at the drawer in the bedside table. He managed to grab the handle and pull the entire drawer out with a hasty tug, scattering a variety of coins, papers and trinkets across the floorboards. Yamato's fingers triumphantly curled themselves around a medium sized tube, dragging it closer where Taichi could register what it was. 

"Did you seriously go out and buy-"

"Stop talking."

Taichi was silenced by strong fingers moving his jaw and therefore his face upwards. He caught a glimpse of those fierce blue eyes before Yamato preoccupied his mouth with activity that would be more appealing than talking. He heard a cap pop, then a moment later felt a cool and smooth sensation along his erection. The temperature difference was… engaging. A floorboard creaked as Yamato positioned himself and Taichi again dug in his fingertips, resisting the urge to pull the boy down too quickly. Instead he arched his hips upwards as much as comfort would allow, eager to be as close to Yamato as possible at all times. 

Of course, Taichi had never tried heroin or met an angel, but he imagined both to be uninteresting compared to what he had now. One of his hands laced fingers through those of the beauty currently riding him with enthusiasm. From the corner of his eye, among the littered drawer contents, the glint of several loose 100 yen coins caught his eye. 

He thought that maybe he'd be able to pocket them for next time. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I coulda made this longer but I didn't, soz

If other teenage boys set a standard, then Taichi would have to say he hadn't watched a lot of porn. He was only really able to contextualise his preferences in terms of a single person, and was sure that was part of the reason. _ ‘Waif blonde musician gets on with his athletic best friend’  _ was a niche, and certainly wasn’t a category you might find on a website’s ribbon banner. Not on any of the free websites anyway. 

Once he had found a point of view video that came close. Since the actor’s eyes were often narrowed in pleasure Taichi could move past the fact that his eyes were more green than blue. That had been the best Taichi could hope for, until a week and a half ago. Now, Taichi had ruined his appetite for anything but the genuine article. 

Nothing could compare to the feeling of Yamato’s hands on his chest, in his hair, and… other places. Porn actors didn’t leave small marks on your collar bone that made you blush when you caught them in your reflection. They only spoke in a series of vulgar commands, they didn’t call your name when they were on the edge of paradise. 

And so this is how Taichi found himself going through every pair of pants he owned in hopes of finding lost change. 

“Spring cleaning?” 

A sweet voice came from his doorway. Hikari looked down at her brother sitting on the floor surrounded by various pieces of clothing.

“Nah, was just thinking I left some money somewhere but not sure where.”

_ Half true, maybe. _

“You didn’t lose the money mum and dad gave you did you?” 

“No, I put that in savings for textbooks.”

_ Not true. _

Taichi did have savings for the upcoming school semester, but his graduation money wasn’t part of that. That had all been spent on his latest addiction. Most days, sometimes twice, he found himself at Yamato’s apartment. Yamato’s dad was always at work during the day time, and it’s not like he had anything better to do. Even if he did, he’d pick a day with Yamato over almost anything else.    
  


He looked up at his sister who stood in the doorway with her arms folded, giving a skeptical look. Taichi had always thought she was too perceptive for her own good, annoyingly wise beyond her years. 

“So what do you need money for?”, she asked with a playful inflection. It wasn’t unusual for Yamato and Taichi to spend a lot of time together, but the younger Yagami sibling had certainly noticed an uptick in just the two of them spending time together, alone, at Yamato’s empty apartment, "Are you buying Yamato a White Day gift?" 

The girl giggled and ran from the room as Taichi moved to shut the door on her. As her footsteps faded and he was once again along with his thoughts, he wondered what it might be like to do such normal couple things. It hadn't been that long, but his hope that Yamato would turn away his money and still pull him close was beginning to fade. 

Walking to Yamato's, his pocket of change felt heavier than before. It jingled slightly with each step and he was aware of it each time it brushed against his thigh. Although it only totalled 500 yen, Taichi felt the nervousness you might feel if you were carrying 50,000 yen. Like it was a lifeline he couldn't afford to lose. Every now and then he'd put his hand in his pocket, just to make sure it was all there.

_ I was going to buy a new pair of shoes _

He thought.

_ This time… this is the last time.  _

With this thought in his mind, Taichi sought to savour every moment from the time Yamato opened the door, putting the blonde at the center of his mind and senses. And not just those relating to their deeds. He paid attention to how the olive green bedspread felt against his legs as he held Yamato from behind, gently kissing the nape of his neck and running a hand up his milky thigh. His ears picked up every breath, and also every groan of the steel bed frame. Working on the assumption that he might never be in this position again, Taichi put a great deal of focus into painting a vivid picture for himself to reflect on when he was sure to crave his friend again. He wanted his friend to crave him just as much. 

Without much warning Taichi inserted a lubricated finger into Yamato, causing a sharp intake of breath.

"Ah-h, hey, calm down! You'll ah… no need to rush!" 

The blushing blonde gasped, while somewhat hypocritically pushing down onto Taichi's hand. While he was the  _ bottom _ in a sense, up until now Yamato had perhaps been the more dominant of the two, taking a fair amount of initiative once the 500 yen had switched hands. This time however, unbeknownst to him, Taichi had a new narrative he wanted to follow. Just maybe, if the addict took a new approach, he could become the addiction instead. 

Taichi lifted himself to his knees, forcing Yamato to fall forward from his lap onto all fours.

"Ok?"

He asked softly, removing his fingers. Yamato had pulled the pillows up to his face, seemingly so he would have something to dig his fingers into. Taichi pressed himself to Yamato's entrance and moved one hand to stroke him at a steady pace, the other putting pressure on his nipple. He waited for a nod of consent before entering him fully. 

The feeling of Yamato's skin against his was slightly sweaty from the constant contact. He loved the differences he could hear in Yamato's moans between when his face was buried in the pillow and when it was turned to the side for air. Even the sight of blonde strands starting to stick together around the frame of Yamato's face was beautiful to him. But this could be the last time. 

"A-ah fuck, Taichi I-" 

Yamato's words were cut short by the sudden constricting of muscle and semen spilling through Taichi's fingers. 

_ I love you _

Taichi had wanted him to say. 

But he didn't. 

He wanted to say those words too.

But he didn't. 

  
  



	4. Chapter 4

Back in middle school, Taichi thought he had a thing for Sora. They'd always been close, and if TV dramas were anything to go off, a relationship was the natural next step. When she started dating Yamato, it seemed obvious to attribute the pit he felt in his stomach to her. Of course now he knew that wasn't the case.

Before all that though, Taichi had gotten a signed poster from a soccer match. During one of their frequent weekend hangouts, Yamato had plucked the poster from his desk.

"You're supposed to hang these," he'd teased.

Taichi had explained that he planned to give it to Sora. With a mischievous smile in his voice, Yamato mentioned that maybe he should make it more personal. By the time Taichi turned around his infuriating friend had already written T.Y 4 S.T on the back. 

Five years later, he was again running his thumb over the marker to see if it would smudge. Packing away his room brought back all sorts of similarly faded memories. Yamato was a common denominator in a lot of them. 

He looked over to his wall planner which served as a constant reminder that he'd be moving next week and sighed, rolling the soccer poster into a tight coil and binding it with a rubber band. The same planner reminded him that it had been three days since  _ the last time _ . He hadn't so much as messaged Yamato since, holding out to see what would happen. But Yamato hadn't messaged him either. 

What shape would their relationship take now? The hour or so travel that would separate them soon was one matter, but it wasn't the matter that made Taichi run a hand into his hair and bite his lip in thought.

"Here, mum picked up these boxes from the supermarket." 

A million miles away, Taichi hadn't noticed his sister enter his room, her face blocked by three stacked produce boxes. She opened her arms to allow the boxes to tumble to the floor, revealing a bright smile that matched her voice. The corners of her mouth straightened slightly when she saw the dark expression on her brother's face.

"Everything ok Taichi?"

"Yeah, just got a lot on my mind I guess."

He turned back to packing various trophies and school momentos, trying to ignore the fact that Hikari had taken a seat on his bed. He tried for a few more breaths, before turning to her with a resigned expression. She was sitting expectantly, her elbows on her knees and face in her hands. Her slight smile was disarming. 

"It's honestly nothing Hikari, let's say, stress of moving?" 

"Stress of moving, or stress of leaving?"

Taichi let out a long breath and scratched at his hairline, turning back to the half full box. The last thing he'd put in was a stack of yearbooks, just more things that reminded him of Yamato. 

"I'll cut to the chase since you're not going to, it's about Yamato isn't it?"

The older sibling pivoted to face his younger sister, but then immediately started scratching his nose in case his face betrayed anything he didn't want it to.

"How do you figure?" 

It was Hikari's turn to sigh dramatically, putting her hands on her knees and looking directly up into her brother's eyes. 

"Honestly? I won't pretend to know everything, but you went from spending everyday together at his place to suddenly not talking so…"

Again Taichi was impressed by her perceptiveness, if not still mildly annoyed. But maybe this could be an opportunity to get some advice, since the ice had been broken on his behalf.

"It's not that anything happened, I just thought I was always the one wanting to… hang out, before I moved you know, and I thought I'd try and see if he'd message me first for a change but-"

Taichi cut himself off when he noticed Hikari snickering. He guessed that she would either have something very embarrassing, or very insightful to say. 

"The way you talk about him is _so_ _interesting_."

'Interesting' could mean so many things and Taichi decided he didn't want to dig a hole where there didn't need to be one. Instead he just pulled the chair from under his desk and straddled it so that he could fold his arms across the back. He kept the lower part of his face hidden by his folded arms, but implored Hikari to continue with his narrowed gaze. 

"It's just that, does he  _ know _ that you're waiting for him to message first?"

"No, but, he should…"

Hikari tutted and shook her head, her short bob swaying elegantly around her ears. This was one of those times when Taichi wondered when she'd grown up so much, but then he'd realise that she'd always been this way. 

" _ Should _ doesn't mean anything, look," the girl stood and took a step towards her brother, now looking down into his eyes instead of up, "part of what makes you and Yamato such a strong team is your differences, but you have an awful lot of similarities too. I just happen to know if someone was sitting around waiting for you to call, you wouldn't have a clue unless they told you directly. They would end up mad at you and you would have no idea why. I just wonder if Yamato is the same." 

Taichi was left with a few things to consider as his sister put a kind hand on his shoulder on her way out of the room. He didn't want to lose Yamato over this  _ pay to win _ game they'd been playing. He couldn't do it anymore, and he'd stick to that, but he couldn't be indirect about it either in hopes that Yamato would magically follow his narrative. He'd thought he'd been clear and direct when he first confessed, but maybe that somehow got lost in the midst of this game. Maybe this whole thing was Yamato trying to indirectly tell him something, but he was simply too dense to see it. And maybe Yamato was dense as well. 

Suddenly full of fire and words to say, Taichi left the box on his desk half full. Hikari didn't ask where he was going when he slammed the front door behind him. 

By the time he got to Yamato's front door it was on the darker side of sunset, the most hopeful stars struggling to appear in the light polluted Tokyo sky. Taichi stared at them instead of rehearsing what he might say once the door opened. He turned back to the door when he heard the handle turn but still felt lost and unsure of what would happen next. 

It was clear Yamato had been in the midst of cooking, since he donned his apron and still had a spoon in hand. His expression was one of mild surprise, then confusion, but neither gave Taichi the feeling that he wasn't wanted there, so his nerves allowed him to muster a small smile in greeting.

"Oh, hey. Haven't heard from you in a bit, thought you'd gotten sick or something," Yamato wiped the spoon on the apron and casually put both to the side as he greeted his unexpected visitor, "you should have called. Dad won't be home tonight and I just got done with dinner, I would have made yo-" 

Taichi put a foot on the threshold and took Yamato's face in his hand, leaning in wanting to taste whatever dinner was on his lips. However he was met with air as Yamato pulled away, Taichi's hand following the warmth of his cheek. Yamato didn't move to remove it, though. 

"Do you have money?"

"No."

Taichi moved to lean in again, but this time Yamato did swipe to push the hand away, covering the spot with his own fingers as if Taichi's touch had burned him. Taichi balled his hand at his side, trying to hold on to the sensation Yamato had left on his skin.

"T-then, I can't help you."

The door wasn't immediately slammed in his face, and Taichi clinged to the possibility that there might have been something holding Yamato back. He firmly wedged his foot in the corner of the threshold to eliminate the possibility of being shut out. 

"So that's it, it was just about the money?"

"... Yes. So you better go."

Taichi grabbed the edge of the door as it began to close, his eyes starting to sting with frustration. Yamato mirrored his expression of both anger and fear, Taichi knew it well. It was a look he'd often seen when confronting his friend, it was a last line in the boy's emotional defenses, a look he'd see before a number of their physical altercations . And if that's what it came to this time as well, then so be it. 

"Bullshit, Yamato. People don't do this for spare change. You left marks behind my ears. You called out my name. You went out and bought lube for fucks sake! You can't tell me that you don't…. that you didn't actually  _ want _ any of it, that you don't feel  _ anything _ for me!" 

He took a step back from the door and pushed his sleeve across his eyes to hide any tears that threatened to fall. He breathed heavily through clenched teeth and was ready to see a closed door when he lowered his arm. Instead he saw Yamato leaned against the door frame, the bright overhead light throwing shadows across his face. Everything in his body language was defensive - his folded arms, his crossed ankles, his averted gaze. 

"It was the money but… I guess it's more cryptic than that." 

Taichi kept his hands in his pockets and looked absently at a spot in the wall, knowing that Yamato could speak easier knowing eyes were off him. 

"When you first confessed to me, I was afraid. You're so good at meeting new people, I knew you were going to move, make new friends and move on from me. I wanted you too, but I knew you would soon find better." 

Taichi chanced a few glances as Yamato was speaking, unsure whether to feel hurt or sad by what he heard. The aloof musician hadn't really indicated that he had any of this on his mind, and frankly Taichi was a little pissed off that he seemed to think their relationship was something he could just let slip away. At the same time though, these loner tendencies were something he'd come to expect. Yamato often found it easier to push people away than address his feelings, so the fact that he was talking now was something Taichi couldn't help but feel grateful for.

"But I was stupid, and selfish, and still wanted to see what it could be like to be with you. By making it a transaction, I could protect myself. I could pretend I didn't feel anything and that what we did was just  _ business _ . That I was doing it because of anything other than my feelings for you. It could be un-special, a service." 

"Like a coin laundry?" Taichi interrupted, for some reason recalling that small detail from one of their encounters. The long breath Yamato let out if his nose told Taichi he was right. 

"I need you to know I did all this because I like you, alright? Not to 'get my fix' or get something off my chest before I moved," Taichi scuffed his shoe on the ground, slightly unsure of where he was going with this, "I was prepared for you to hate me, or I would do whatever it took to make it work, but not for this. I don't know what I can do or say to make you believe how I feel about you, but I don't have any more money to give you." 

The pair made eye contact for what felt like the first time in hours. Taichi could see that the other was holding his breath, the tightness of his lips a sure sign of his crumbling defenses. He gave a reassuring smile. 

"I love you, Yamato." 

It was so quick he hadn't seen Yamato's hand move, but when he looked down he saw that something was being pressed into his palm.

"Then, this time, I'll pay you." 

Taichi unfurled his fingers to see a 500 yen coin and gave a small laugh. Maybe he could play this game a little longer. This time Yamato didn't pull away when he cupped his face and leaned close to his lips.


	5. Epilogue

Yamato: I'm out of money.

Taichi: Well, In that case...

Image from last page of original doujinshi


End file.
